Why Canadian Imams Recite Prayers against the “Filth of the Jews”

Muslim clerics in Canada, the United States, and around the world have been documented reciting prayers to Allah to purify the al-Aqsa Mosque of the “filth of the Jews.”

An analysis of Islamic sources shows that Islam attributes spiritual “filth” to all non-Muslims, including Jews, and the Muslims are commanded by Allah to eradicate the spiritual “filth” from the world in order to impose the concept of Islamic monotheism and implement Sharia (Islamic) law.

In August 2018, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the charitable status of the Ottawa Islamic Center and Assalam Mosque, explaining that “many of the views expressed by the organization’s speakers are misogynistic, homophobic, racist, and/or promote violence.”1

Abdullah Hakim Quick, vice-president of the Canadian Council of Imams, is mentioned in CRA’s report as one of these speakers, due to a supplication he recited a few years ago, among others. In it, he said (originally in English):

May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala [the Most High], the Most Exalted, clean and purify Masjid [mosque] al-Aqsa from the filth of the yahud [Jews]. May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala, the Most High, the Most Exalted, clean Afghanistan and Iraq and all of the lands from the filth of the Kafirun [disbelievers or infidels].2

On June 15, 2016, Ayman Elkasrawy, an imam at Masjid Toronto, recited the following supplication, (originally in Arabic):

O Allah! Give victory to Islam and raise the standing of the Muslims.[Congregation:] Ameen.And humiliate the polytheism and polytheists.[Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Give victory (help) to your slaves who believe in the oneness of Allah.[Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Give them victory over the criminal people. O Allah! Destroy anyone who killed/ fought against Muslims.[Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Destroy anyone who displaced the sons of the Muslims.[Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Count their number;[Congregation:] Ameen.Slay them one by one,[Congregation:] Ameen.And spare not one of them.[Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Purify al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth [دنس] of the Jews![Congregation:] Ameen.O Allah! Purify al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth [دنس] of the Jews![Congregation:] Ameen.3

Another imam in western Canada invoked Allah to help purify al-Aqsa Mosque from the “filth” of “those,” meaning the Jews (originally in Arabic):

O Allah, we ask you to give victory to Islam and to raise the standing of the Muslims, give victory (help) to our oppressed brothers in Palestine, give victory (help) to our oppressed brothers in [the City of] al-Quds. O Allah, we ask you to purify and cleanse al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth [دنس] of those [Jews].4

On September 13, 2015, Mostafa Saad Hannout, an imam at Masjid Toronto, shared on his Facebook page a post by the Saudi Shaykh Dr. Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni that read (originally in Arabic):

O Allah, purify al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth [رجس] of the Jews and grant us the opportunity to pray in it before our death.” (اللهم طهر #المسجد_الأقصى من رجس يهود، وارزقنا فيه صلاة قبل الموت)5

The “impurity” of non-Muslims is mentioned in the Koran. Verse 28 of chapter 9 (Surah At-Tawbah, The Repentance) reads (according to the Saheeh International translation): “O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year. And if you fear privation, Allah will enrich you from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.”6

In a sermon delivered on May 25, 2012 at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, its main imam and director of Religious Affairs Yusuf Badat explained why Islam attributes “impurity” to non-Muslims. According to Badat, non-Muslims are “internally filthy,” meaning their filth is spiritual because they don’t follow the teachings of Islam. In this context Badat said:7

I was mentioning about “open doors Toronto,” and every year I get this question where people say: “Why are non-Muslims in the Masjid [mosque]? You know, they’re filthy. Why are they here? They are not even dressed properly. Why are they coming in the Masjid? They might be in their menstrual cycles.” You get all kinds of questions like this, you know, ignorance. It is important that we ask when we don’t know. So it’s a good sign. You want to learn. So I felt it is important to clarify certain matters here. There are two issues. Number one is: Are disbelievers allowed to enter the Masjid? And number two: if they are allowed, then what are the conditions? So in terms of entering the Masjid, the Olama [علماء], the scholars of Islam, they agree that it is permissible for disbelievers to enter the Masjid, but with three conditions.

Number one is that there should be a purposeful benefit for them entering the Masjid. To enter the Masjid, there should be a purposeful benefit, that why are they entering? To see, to learn, we can give dawah [invitation to Islam]. You have many times something that goes wrong, maintenance, and there is no Muslim that can take care of that. So who do we call? A non-Muslim to repair something. Someone recently sent me photos of the Haram [Great Mosque of Mecca] and the expansion in Mecca, and how it’s going to be extended, etc. and they’ve contracted some of some parts of the construction and the expansion of the Haram to non-Muslims from different countries, and they enter there for a purposeful benefit. So if a non-Muslim is entering with a purposeful benefit, then it’s permitted. Condition number one.

Condition number two is that they should be externally clean. Their clothes should be externally clean. So they’re wearing nice clean clothes. That’s fine. We don’t bother about what is internal. We’re not concerned, and this is what the Olama [scholars of Islam] say in [the book] Ila Al-Sunan [إعلاء السنن]. In the books of fiqh [ فقه jurisprudence], it’s mentioned that the verse where Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, says that the mushrikun [ مشركون polytheists] are impure, it doesn’t refer to the external impurity. It’s referring to the aqidah [ عقيدة faith] and the belief that they have that may be corrupt. So people generally quote the verse of Surah [chapter of the Koran] Al-Tawbah [Repentance], where Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, says لا يدخلون المسجد الحرم [إِنَّمَا الْمُشْرِكُونَ نَجَسٌ فَلا يَقْرَبُوا الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ They should not enter the Masjid. So this is referring to their internal filth, not their external filth, their internal impurity, not their external impurity. So this is condition number two. And condition number three is that they should respect the sacredness of the Masjid.

Similar views were voiced in 2013 by Yasir Qadhi, the Dean of Academic Affairs at AlMaghrib Institute in Houston, Texas (originally in English):8

This is the precise definition of Shirk [polytheism] – to make a partner with Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He. And we realize that obviously Shirk is the opposite of Tawhid [monotheism] and must by necessity and by definition be the most evil of all evils. As Jews and Christians are mushrikoon [polytheists] in our perspective of Tawhid [monotheism], as we have studied can understand how, and only the Muslims follow Tawhid]. And it is also the same reason, or the same principle of Tawhid which is the first obligation upon every single human being that he bears witness and he testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. And it is because of this same principle of Tawhid that the Prophet, peace be upon him, has been commanded to do jihad. Jihad is a means and not a goal of itself. It is a means to establish Tawhid on the land. أمرت أن أقاتل الناس حتى يشهدوا أن لا إله إلا الله “I have been commanded to fight the people until they testify لا إله إلا الله there is no God but Allah.”

So the whole reason why Allah has created us, sent the prophets and revealed the books and differentiated us, based upon this principle and allowed for jihad, is the basis and is the principle of Tawhid. The life and property of a mushrik [polytheist, also identified as Christian] holds no value in the state of jihad. Make no respect. Notice that I said in the state of jihad, not at all times and places. The life and property of a mushrik becomes “halal” [permissible] while in a state of jihad. The prophet, peace be upon him, said, and I quote the hadith before, “I have been commanded to fight the people until they say: ‘There is no God but Allah’ [Islamic creed declaring belief in the tawhid] and when they say ‘There is no God but Allah’ [meaning accepting Islam],” he went on, “their life and property become protected for me.” Which means if they don’t say, “There is no God but Allah” their life and property are halal for the Muslims. So the Christians do commit Shirk [polytheism], they are kuffar [disbelievers], and they are mushrikoon [polytheists]. The mushrikoon [polytheists] are najis [impure, filth], they are filthy. Najasa [impurity, filth]. They are filthy, a spiritual filthiness which can only be purified by the purity of monotheism [Tawhid]. Allah calls the mushrikoon [polytheists] najis [filthy], which is a very evil thing. When Allah Himself says the mushrikoon [polytheists] are najis, Allah is calling them najis, they are Najasa, a filthy, impure, dirty substance.

Canadian Imam Kamil Ahmad, who serves as an assistant professor at the Islamic Online University, cited in this context a statement by the 14th century Salafist theologian Ibn Taymiyyah: “The Jews exaggerate in the purification of their bodies while their hearts remain filthy, and the Christians claim that they purify their hearts while their bodies remain impure; whereas the Muslims purify both their bodies and their hearts. [Al-Jawāb al-Ṣaḥīḥ li-man Baddala Dīn al-Masīḥ 3/102].”9

Most Koranic exegetes [mufassirun] interpreted the first statement as metaphorical, that is, polytheists are not literally filth, but their creed of associating partners with Allah Most High is so base and vile in the sight of Allah that it is akin to filth itself, so much so that it is as if those who adhere to such beliefs are themselves filth.

The Reign of Islamic Daʿwah Centre in Toronto quoted a statement from the interpretation of the Koran by Saudi Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan: “The filth of Shirk, the filthy nature of Shirk. Because it is an insult to Allah the Most High.”13

On December 15, 2016, Ayman Elkasrawy, an imam at Masjid Toronto mosque, shared ‎شبكة رصد‎’s video, accompanied with the following caption (originally in Arabic): “Graphic pictures! Of the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo before and after it was destroyed by Assad forces and Russia.” In this context, Elkasrawy posted the following comment (originally in Arabic): “The impure [anjas] rejectionists [“rawafid” – derogatory manner by Sunni Muslims to describe the Shiite Muslims].”14

The attribution of “filth” (دنس-وسخ) to the polytheists and disbelievers/infidels, including Jews and Christians, appears also in the writings of the great commentators of the Koran, al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah At-Tawbah (9), verse 18: “(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and fear none but Allah). Therefore, if those believers who follow the virtues mentioned in the Ayah were prevented from attending the Masjid, then what cause for destruction is worse than this? Maintaining the Masjids not only means beautifying them, but it involves remembering Allah, establishing His Sharia in the Masjids, and purifying them from the filth of Shirk.”19

Tafsir Ibn Kathir Juz’ 1 (Part 1): Al-Fatihah 1 to Al-Baqarah 141 2nd Edition, p. cclxxvii: “(The Masjids of Allah shall be maintained only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day; perform the Salah, and give the Zakah and fear none but Allah). Therefore, if those believers who follow the virtues mentioned in the Ayah were prevented from attending the Masjid, then what cause for destruction is worse than this? Maintaining the Masjids not only means beautifying them, but it involves remembering Allah, establishing His Sharia in the Masjids and purifying them from the filth of Shirk.”20

Al-Qassam Brigades promise you that Mohammed Deif will, God-willing, be the commander in chief of the conquering and liberating army that will enter into the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque until we cleanse all of our land of the filth of the remaining occupiers25

Their sole goal for all of them the recovery of al-Aqsa Mosque, freeing it from the filth of the Zionists… We are also commanded to rescue the holy sites of Christianity and even Judaism from the filth of those Zionists27

“Therefore it is the duty of Muslims to mobilize their armies towards Palestine and liberate it completely from the filth of the Jews… It awaits the conquerors who will chant Takbeers and sacrifice their blood to liberate it from the filth of the Jews”37

“Sinai of Glory, where the war of dignity and glory took place on its soil, the Ummah were very close to liberating al-Aqsa and the Blessed Land (Palestine) from the filth of the Jews if it wasn’t for the betrayal of some who sold their Deen from the leaders and elites!”

“O Armies stationed in the barracks… Is it not time for you to rise and shake off the dust of humiliation off your Ummah?… Is it not time for your large army chanting the Takbeer to liberate al-Aqsa from the filth of the Jews?”42

“Only the Pakistani army officers, the Egyptian army officers, and the Turkish army officers, and other soldiers of Islam are the ones capable of defending Islam, Protecting the honor of religion, preserving the holy sites, and liberating al-Aqsa Mosque and ridding it from the filth of the Jews.”45

“The Blessed Land (Palestine) is not only an Islamic land, but the heart of the Muslim Islamic Ummah, and to remind the Muslim Ummah in general and the people of power and capacity (the Muslim armies) specifically, imposing the establishment of the Khilafah Rashidah State (rightly guided Caliphate) who have its obligation upon their necks to mobilize their formidable armies to liberate the Islamic sanctities from the filth of the Jewish entity, making it a thing of the past.”49

“When reading Rezaei’s statement one would think the Kafir heretic Ba’athist regime had put forth an unprecedented action in the implementation of Allah’s legislation and upholding jihad, and liberating al-Aqsa a-Shareef from the filth of the Jews…”51

“However – we eventually believe that Allah (swt) will make His Deen victorious, and will grant His righteous servants power and will establish them in the earth very soon by His will and power, as Khulafa and righteous leaders, so that they purify all the lands of the Muslims from the filth of the colonial Kuffar, and return everything to their right places, and that is not a great matter for Allah (swt).”53

“So reject the sinful Camp David Accord, and establish the Sharia of Allah by establishing the rightly guided Khilafah “Caliphate” state, which will uproot the Jewish entity from the Blessed Land by the hands of its sincere soldiers in the army of Egypt the Kinanah, who are yearning for Jihad in the way of Allah (swt) and for liberating Masjid Al-Aqsa from the filth of the Jews.”59

“And then he will lead us to liberate Palestine, all of Palestine, from the filth of the Jewish state to restore al-Quds, the land of Isra’ and Mi’raj of the Messenger of Allah (saw), will return honored and dignified by Islam, and by the army of Islam”61

“Our address is to the armies in the Muslim world in general and the Egyptian army in particular, who hosts the best soldiers on earth, and to the armies of Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkey. We tell them that the liberation of the blessed land from the filth of Jews is in your capacity…”63

“That the Khaleefah will have eradicated the tyrants in the land of al-Sham, and rescued its Muslims, the elderly, women and children, from the filth of the tyrants and oppressors… and then he will lead us to liberate Palestine, all of Palestine, from the filth of the Jewish state to restore al-Quds, the land of Isra’ and Mi’raj of the Messenger of Allah (saw), will return honored and dignified by Islam, and by the army of Islam…”65

33The Accepted Dua [Supplication], complied and translated by Abu Umar; Abdulazeez, http://abenefitaday.com/ in conjunction with Abu Hurairah Centre, Third Edition, 2013, Toronto, Canada, p. 109. The book has been distributed for free by Canadian Dawah groups, including Walk-In Islamic infoCenter.